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Found 62 results
  1. News Article
    The menopause is not a disease and is being “over-medicalised”, experts have said. High-income countries, including the UK, commonly see menopause as a medical problem or hormone-deficiency disorder with long-term health risks “that are best managed by hormone replacement (therapy)”, they said. Yet, around the world, “most women navigate menopause without the need for medical treatments”, the experts, including from the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, and King’s College London, said. They argued there is a lack of data on whether health problems are caused by menopause or simply by ageing. In a first paper in The Lancet Series on the menopause, the experts said: “Although management of symptoms is important, a medicalised view of menopause can be disempowering for women, leading to over-treatment and overlooking potential positive effects, such as better mental health with age and freedom from menstruation, menstrual disorders, and contraception.” Series co-author Professor Martha Hickey, from the University of Melbourne and Royal Women’s Hospital, said: “The misconception of menopause as always being a medical issue which consistently heralds a decline in physical and mental health should be challenged across the whole of society. “Many women live rewarding lives during and after menopause, contributing to work, family life and the wider society. “Changing the narrative to view menopause as part of healthy ageing may better empower women to navigate this life stage and reduce fear and trepidation amongst those who have yet to experience it.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 5 March 2024
  2. Content Article
    Menopause is an inevitable life stage for half the the world’s population, but experiences vary hugely. Some women have few or no symptoms over the menopause transition while others have severe symptoms that impair their quality of life and may be persistent. Many women feel unsupported as they transition menopause. To better prepare and support women, the Lancet Series on menopause argues for an approach that goes beyond specific treatments to empower women with high-quality information, tools to support decision making, empathic clinical care, and workplace adjustments as needed. Targeted support is needed for groups who experience early menopause or treatment-induced menopause, and for those at increased risk of mental health problems. The authors recognise how gendered ageism may contribute to negative experiences of menopause and call for reduced stigma and greater recognition of the value and contribution of older women. Further reading on the hub: The impact of menopause on mental health (HSSIB blog All-Party Parliamentary Group on Menopause: Inquiry to assess the impacts of menopause and the case for policy reform - conclusions Raising awareness of surgical menopause
  3. News Article
    New official guidance on treating menopause will harm women’s health, experts, MPs and campaigners have warned. Last month, new draft guidelines to GPs from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said that women experiencing hot flushes, night sweats, depression and sleep problems could be offered cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) “alongside or as an alternative to” hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to help reduce their menopause symptoms. But critics have castigated the guidance, saying it belittled symptoms through misogynistic language, and women’s health would suffer as a result of failing to emphasise the benefits of HRT on bone and cardiovascular health as opposed to CBT. In its response to the guidance, Mumsnet said NICE's recommendations used “patronising” and “offensive” language and would be “detrimental” to women’s health. Justine Roberts, the founder and chief executive of Mumsnet, said: “Women already struggle to access the HRT they are entitled to. We hear daily from women in perimenopause and menopause who are battling against a toxic combination of entrenched misogyny, misinformation and lack of knowledge among GPs. “Too often they are fobbed off or told they simply need to put up with severe physical and mental symptoms – often with life-changing effects. “By emphasising the negative over the positive, failing to include information about the safest forms of HRT and placing CBT on a par with hormone replacement therapy, this guidance will worsen that struggle. It will make doctors more reluctant to prescribe HRT and women more fearful about asking for or accepting it.” Carolyn Harris, the MP for Swansea East and the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on menopause, said the new guidance was “antiquated”, “naive” and “ill thought-out”. ”Talking can make you feel better, but it’s not going to take away the aches in your joints and it’s not going to change how you live your life,” she said. “Whatever a woman feels is what she needs to support her through the menopause should be readily and immediately available, and that’s not true currently [of HRT or CBT]." Read full story Source: The Guardian, 11 December 2023
  4. Content Article
    The second annual Safety For All conference was held at the Royal College of Physicians in London on Tuesday 5th December 2023. Over 100 members of the healthcare community attended this event, including occupational health professionals, patient safety experts, frontline staff, patients and academics. The conference was hosted by the Safer Healthcare and Biosafety Network and Patient Safety Learning as part of the Safety For All campaign, supported by B. Braun, BD, Boston Scientific and Stryker. Attendees had the opportunity to hear from two keynote speakers: Lynn Woolsey, UK Deputy Chief Nurse at the Royal College of Nursing and Dr Henrietta Hughes, Patient Safety Commissioner for England. The conference was chaired and facilitated by Dr Rob Galloway, A&E Consultant at Brighton and Sussex Hospital NHS Trust, with a welcome introduction from Dr Ian Bullock, CEO of the Royal College of Physicians. There were a number of panel sessions and presentations throughout the day which are summarised in the attachment below, including on sustainability, antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic underdosing, violence at work, clinical communications, human factors, implementing the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF), and women's health and the menopause.
  5. News Article
    Women experiencing hot flushes, night sweats, depression and sleep problems could be offered therapy to help reduce their menopause symptoms, under new guidelines. But menopause champions warned that those suffering with symptoms could have long waits for mental health support and stressed that the new draft guidance to GPs from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) must not distract from “ongoing challenges” of getting HRT. A NICE evidence review found that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help make night-time sweats less severe and frequent and should be considered “alongside or as an alternative to HRT”. The guidance is not mandatory but GPs will be expected to take the new guidance “fully into account”, said Nice. Caroline Nokes, chair of the Commons’ women and equalities committee, welcomed the new guidance saying there was no “one size fits all” to help women going through the menopause, but said it must not be used to fob off women, some of whom were still facing drug shortages. A major HRT drug shortage last year resulted in 22 restrictions being put in place, pushing some women to turn to the hidden market or meet up with other women to buy, swap or share medicines. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 17 November 2023
  6. Content Article
    Whilst menopause affects roughly half the population, there is still much to be understood about the impact on individuals, in particular on their mental health. Amber Sargent and Helen Jones, Senior Safety Investigators at the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB), blog about the patient safety issues that arise when the impact of menopause on mental health is not considered during clinical assessments. In this blog, they explore: why serious mental health disorders develop around menopause the impact of limited research into this important area the role of raising awareness. Read the blog on the HSSIB website Related reading Raising awareness of surgical menopause Top picks: Women's health inequity
  7. News Article
    Most women going through menopause are not receiving effective treatment for their symptoms, in part because of widespread misinformation, according to new research. A comprehensive literature review led by Prof Susan Davis from Monash University in Australia calls for more personalised treatment plans that address the greatly varying physical and mental symptoms of menopause. After adverse affects were reported from the landmark 2002 Women’s Health Initiative study into menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), Davis said there was a blanket fear that “hormones are dangerous” and as a result, “menopause [treatment] just went off the radar”. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 6 September 2023
  8. Content Article
    This review from Davis et al. summarises the biology and consequences of menopause, the role of supportive care, and the menopause-specific therapeutic options available to women.
  9. News Article
    A menopause doctor says scammers using her name to illegally sell testosterone online are damaging women's health. Dr Louise Newson, who founded Newson Health, has warned patients a website has stolen her brand and logo and is selling the sex hormone unlawfully. "We do not sell medication directly to anyone online," she adds. Testosterone is illegal to sell or supply without a prescription from a health professional and currently unlicensed in the UK for use by women. However, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends it can be considered as a supplement for menopausal woman to treat low sexual desire if HRT alone is not effective. Dr Newson, whose private clinics operate in Stratford-upon-Avon, London, Southampton and Bournemouth, said medication was only prescribed after a consultation with a clinician. "As far as we are aware no Newson Health patients have fallen victim to this scam and we sincerely hope this remains the case," she said. The practice is working with relevant organisations to have the fraudulent website taken down, she added. Read full story Source: BBC News, 16 June 2023
  10. Content Article
    This report, produced by Fair Treatment for Women of Wales, provides NHS Wales with invaluable insight on how to improve menopause services across the country, including the provision of factual, evidence-based information and skilled professionals, enabling every woman to make informed choices about how she manages her menopause symptoms.
  11. News Article
    A woman who had a hysterectomy has said she was discharged without sufficient information on its impact on her physical and mental health. Mechelle Davis, from County Down, said it was crucial women left hospital with appropriate medication and advice. Her operation involved removal of her womb, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and cervix. Ms Davis was 48 when she had her operation and said she had no option but to look online for advice, something she described as "unsatisfactory". "I had the operation in October 2022 and didn't go on HRT until the following February," she told BBC News NI. "Every woman who is going through the menopause - including surgically induced - needs support. In its online tool for clinicians, British Menopause Society advise that HRT plays a significant role in managing surgical menopause, especially in women under 45 - provided there are no contradictions such as personal history of hormone dependant cancer. It also adds that "all women undergoing surgical menopause should have counselling and be provided with information about the hormonal consequences of surgery and the role of HRT, both before surgery and before leaving hospital with clear communication to the primary care team." BBC News NI has spoken to other women who, after having a hysterectomy, were discharged without advice or a HRT prescription. Read full story Source: BBC News, 23 May 2023 Further reading on the hub: World Menopause Day 2022: Raising awareness of surgical menopause
  12. Event
    until
    The Everywoman festival is a one day event aimed at all women over the age of 16 and aims to empower women to understand what is normal and when to seek help for issues that can affect 90% of women at some point in their life. The festival combines more than 40 workshops and 6 themed seminar sessions with a fun, relaxed environment with art workshops, food and drink, music and charity stands. Themes are wide ranging and include periods and endometriosis, pelvis pain and bladder, childbirth injury, menopause and sexual wellbeing. Additional drop in sessions to meet the consultant experts as well as book readings and signings will be available on the day. The Everywoman Festival will be held in the heart of Cardiff in the beautiful venue of Insole Court. It will feature a range of interactive workshops and talks from leading health experts. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about everything from nutrition and fitness to mindfulness through art. For those who are looking for something a little more active, there will be a variety of fitness classes and workshops taking place throughout the day. From seated yoga, Pilates to Belly dancing and dancing lessons from Heels empowerment, there's something for everyone, regardless of their fitness level. Charities attending with stalls and information include Coppa feel, Endometriosis UK, Womens Aid, the Menstrual project and Fair Treatment for Women of Wales. Health stalls from Muslim Doctors Cymru, Medtronic, Mcgregor, THD will be on hand to provide information and signpost for everything from your bladder and bowels, childbirth to high blood pressure. Some of the highlights of the festival are the wellness market, where attendees can shop for a wide variety of health and wellness products and in the creative market products from artists such as Black and Beech, Melin Trygwynt and Eliza Eliza. Further tickets and information Follow on instagram @Theeverywomanfestival A5leaflet Everywoman (2).pdf
  13. Content Article
    Joint safety alert from the British Menopause Society, Faculty of Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare, Royal College of General Practitioners, Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, Society for Endocrinology and the Royal College of Nursing Women’s Health Forum.
  14. News Article
    The link between menopause and poor mental health should be reviewed, the health watchdog has said, after an inquiry into a woman’s suicide found staff lack training to spot the risks. Frances Wellburn, 56, took her own life in 2020 after she was incorrectly assessed as being a “medium risk” of suicide by Tees, Esk and Wear NHS Trust (TEWV). A national study by the Health and Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB), prompted by her death, warned that this was a national problem, with funding and capacity problems driving staff to use ineffective “checklist” tools when assessing suicidal patients. HSIB also found staff were not trained to spot mental health risks associated with menopause, and menopause is not routinely considered a contributing factor among women with low mood who need help. It said that women are often prescribed antidepressants when hormone replacement therapy (HRT) would be more appropriate. In Ms Wellburn’s case, HSIB found TEWV staff had failed to take into account that she was going through menopause when they assessed her as being at medium risk of self-harm. This went against national guidance, which states scales should not be used to predict future suicide or self-harm. Read full story Source: The Independent, 23 March 2023
  15. Content Article
    This investigation by the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) aimed to support improvements in the work of community mental health teams (CMHTs). Specifically, the investigation looked at the following four areas: assessing a patient’s risk of self-harm or suicide considering menopause as a risk factor for mental health conditions engaging with families caring for people with a first episode of psychosis. Reference event Ms A was 56 years old when she came into contact with mental health services for the first time in September 2019, following a suicide attempt. Ms A spent a month in hospital, and was then discharged home under the care of a community mental health team (CMHT) with a diagnosis of psychotic depression. At the end of May 2020, Ms A was again admitted to hospital following a second suicide attempt. She again stayed in the hospital for about four weeks before being discharged home under the care of a CMHT. Ms A was seen by CMHT workers regularly throughout July, and had a telephone review with a consultant psychiatrist. At the end of July, Ms A’s family became increasingly concerned about her mental state and were unable to make contact with her. On 2 August, Ms A was found deceased at home having died by suicide.
  16. Content Article
    This article in BBC Science Focus looks at the factors driving an increase in testosterone prescribing for women in the UK. The author, Dr Michelle Griffin, highlights the need to ensure that there is a strong evidence base for prescribing testosterone to women. While there have been some clinical trials and studies around testosterone as a treatment for low libido, there is concern that patients, doctors and pharma companies are relying on anecdotal accounts of its effectiveness to treat symptoms such as low mood, poor concentration and tiredness. She also highlights that testosterone prescribing is just one example of the lack of research going into women's health issues and treatments, and argues that this is contributing to health inequity.
  17. News Article
    Hundreds of thousands of women could benefit from cheaper hormone replacement therapy (HRT) as part of a scheme to cut prescription costs. The Department of Health said that from April, women prescribed HRT as part of menopause treatment will be able to access a new scheme to enable access to a year’s worth of treatment for just under £20. The announcement follows the publication of the government’s women’s health strategy for England last summer. Minister for Women Maria Caulfield said: “Around three-quarters of women will experience menopause symptoms, with one-quarter experiencing severe symptoms, which can seriously impact their quality of life. “Reducing the cost of HRT is a huge moment for improving women’s health in this country, and I am proud to be announcing this momentous step forward. “In our Women’s Health Strategy, we made menopause a top priority – by making HRT more accessible, we’re delivering on our commitment to women.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 21 February 2023
  18. News Article
    Private menopause clinics are prescribing HRT at "twice the recommended dose", an investigation has revealed. The investigation by The Pharmaceutical Journal has revealed that patients attending private menopause clinics are subject to “unorthodox prescribing” by providers. Many are receiving oestrogen at up to double the recommended dose placing them at higher risk of cancer and vaginal bleeding. Nuttan Tanna, a pharmacist consultant in women’s health at London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust, said she had seen referrals for “bleeding investigations” and then found the patient was on "very large doses [of oestrogen] prescribed previously by private providers”. Brendon Jiang, a senior clinical pharmacist for North Oxfordshire Rural Alliance Primary Care Network, said that his team were increasingly getting letters from private clinics requesting for patients to be prescribed doses of oestrogen that are off-label or exceed licensed recommendations. He also raised concerns that patients were not taking enough progesterone alongside increased doses of oestrogen. Taking increased doses of oestrogen alone can increase the risk of womb cancer but progesterone protects against that risk and therefore the two hormones should be taken together. Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Telegraph, 19 December 2022 Further reading on the hub: Surgical menopause: a toolkit for healthcare professionals (British Menopause Society) Menopause Support - Getting the most out of your doctor’s appointment World Menopause Day 2022: Raising awareness of surgical menopause All-Party Parliamentary Group on Menopause: Inquiry to assess the impacts of menopause and the case for policy reform - conclusions
  19. News Article
    Hospital staff in Nottingham have said they are keen to build on the success of its menopause support scheme. Nottingham University Hospitals Trust (NUH) said 24% of its staff were aged 45-55, the most common age for the condition. Staff can ask for lighter uniforms, shift changes, more time to complete tasks or access to fans in offices. Advice, awareness training and access to specialist staff are also part of the scheme. The staff wellbeing team at NUH said they were "inundated" with messages from colleagues who were struggling. Jenny Good, NUH Staff Wellbeing Lead, said: "We strongly believe that menopause is an issue for everybody. Everyone knows somebody who will go through it. "We wanted to equip everyone who works at NUH with an awareness of what menopause is. "We're really proud that we're the first NHS trust to get the accreditation. "The conversation has opened up." Read full story Source: BBC News, 18 December 2022
  20. News Article
    Menopausal women working in NHS England will be able to work flexibly should they need to under new guidance. Launching the first national NHS guidance on menopause, the NHS England chief executive, Amanda Pritchard, has called on other employers to follow suit to help “break the stigma”. She said many employees were “silently suffering” and were either too embarrassed to broach the subject or experience a “lack of support” when they did. No one should feel their only option is to “turn their back on their career” over menopausal symptoms, she added. “It’s our responsibility as leaders to ensure this doesn’t happen any longer.” The guidance aims to boost awareness as well as support the introduction of practical measures including flexible working patterns – including lighter duties, fans to make temperatures more comfortable, cooler uniforms and staff training. “Our guidance has been intentionally designed to be transferable to other workplaces too, so I hope organisations and women beyond the NHS can also benefit,” she said. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 23 November 2022
  21. Content Article
    The aim of this paper is to raise awareness of the impact menopause is having on the workforce, as well as to issue recommendations and help healthcare organisations, managers, and employers to better support health care workers so that they do not leave the workforce or suffer in silence if they struggle with managing menopause symptoms.
  22. News Article
    The NHS faces an “exodus” of female doctors who are struggling to work due to a lack of menopause support, a report has warned. The Medical Protection Society, which helps doctors in legal and ethical disputes, said that many quit or reduce their hours over fears that their menopause symptoms, such as brain fog, insomnia and hot flushes, will cause them to accidentally harm patients. A survey found that 36 per cent of female doctors have considered reducing their hours because of menopause symptoms, while one in five have considered early retirement. “With females making up most of the healthcare workforce, it is crucial that they can access the support they need to avoid an exodus from the profession,” the report said. Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Times, 26 October 2022
  23. Content Article
    World Menopause Day is held every year on 18 October to raise awareness of the menopause and the support options available for improving health and wellbeing. In this blog, I want to raise awareness of surgical menopause, which affects over 4000 young women a year, specifically around the lack of information and support received before and after surgery.  
  24. Content Article
    This video by Joyce Harper, Professor of Reproductive Science at the Institute for Women's Health at University College London, highlights short-term and long-term menopause symptoms, outlines their causes and suggests ways that women can deal with them. Her key message is that everyone should understand these symptoms and anyone suffering should go to see their health professional—no one should have to put up with symptoms that affect their life.
  25. Content Article
    This simple poster highlights the main symptoms of the menopause including hot flushes. headaches, mood swings, palpitations and tiredness. It encourages women to recognise the symptoms and seek help from their GP.
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